January 2026
My recent discovery of new military facts about uncle Harry Crook was probably the end of the road as far as I was concerned. I’d mused that there was always the chance that one more fact would be uncovered, and presumed that I was most likely the only one looking; so it was something of a surprise when a new trove of information from Canada dropped into my inbox.
If you’ve followed Harry’s story you’ll recall that he ended his days living near the tiny village of Massett, situated on the northern tip of Haida Gwaii – previously known as Graham Island and part of the Queen Charlotte islands on Canada’s Pacific northwest coast – almost as far as you can get from the farmlands of East Anglia. Harry lived there into his 81st year and until his death in hospital in Vancouver.
Other than a few scratchy letters he’d written to his niece Margaret many years ago, I had little insight into his solo life at Massett, but today that changed.
Out of the blue, Mark Ogilvie took the trouble to send me a handful of pictures he’d found – Mark lives near where Harry’s homestead stood, and he sent me some extracts of a book in the local museum ‘Tales From The Queen Charlotte Islands – Book 1.’
Harry has his own section in the book, and it contains a good description of his life along with several pictures of him near the end of his life and shortly before he left his cabin at White Creek on the Tow Hill road for the last time.
It always amazes me that my humble blogs can reach so far, and that men like Harry can be remembered so long after they have passed. I’m thankful to Mark for reaching out and I look forward to hearing more from him as the story of Harry Crook continues.
Farm Boys and Pioneers 
The facts keep coming!
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